What Is Love?
by illocust
Summary: Keith wants to fall in love but doesn't understand how. Some mistakes are made but some aren't. Starts Klance ends Sheith.


_**Author's Note:**_

 _ **Something that has been floating around in my head. Feelings are hard. Especially for Keith. He muddles through the best he can.**_

* * *

How do people fall in love? How do strangers meet, decide this is the one, date, then begin to care so much they cry when the other leaves?

Is it something wrong with him? Is that why he doesn't understand something so basic to being human?

He's had crushes before. He wants to have that feeling others develop so easily, but no one seems to spark that fire. That desire that goes beyond wanting their bodies to wanting them. There is no one in his life that he'll cry over if they leave. Even his closest friends are ultimately replaceable, when it is time for either him or them to move on.

Maybe he really is broken. Maybe he's moved around so much, severed so many bonds, that he can no longer build the meaningful ones normal people can. Maybe he'll never fall in love.

…

The man isn't unattractive. He's not the sort that will make Keith lose his train of thought if he saw him with his shirt off, but there is nothing that's chasing him away. Besides, he's just as interested in space as Keith is, and if the way his eyes keep wandering is any indication, he finds Keith more than passable. Interest is interesting in itself.

Didn't Pidge introduce him as Lance? Well at least that's an easy name to remember.

…

If only he had someone to talk to. To explain his reasoning to. It makes sense. Everybody always says to get anywhere in the world of romance you have to put yourself out there. Lance is cute and likes to do the same things he does, and he has a lot of friends. There was no reason to not accept his date.

…

Lance really likes him. No one has ever wanted to spend so much time with him before. Walking him home, taking him out, he even introduced him to his aunt. If the boy could, he'd probably move into Keith's apartment right now, instead of just being over every spare moment he gets.

He needs to stop being such a hermit. His computer isn't going anywhere. People in relationships are supposed to want to be together all the time. Getting out so much is good for him.

…

Lance gives so much. Valentine's, he must have been saving for that meal for a month, just to surprise Keith. It doesn't feel right to take without giving, but Lance seems over the moon. He'd said he'd never liked anyone else this much before.

Will time make him feel the same?

…

The convention's coming up. Lance introduced him to the group. Space nerds just like himself. Willing to blow off a weekend to listen to experts in the field with graphs and power points. He can't wait.

He's got a surprise for Lance. A club outfit for after hours. Picked out just for him. Lance likes clubbing. It should make him happy to see Keith wearing something showing off so much skin.

…

They're here. It's time. Three days of space fun with the gang. Lance's friends who are slowly becoming his own. Three days with Lance. Not a moment apart. Lance will follow him to all the same panels. Eat meals together. Even sleep in the same room. No breaks, no respite.

Oh…He doesn't want to spend that kind of time with Lance…He needs to break up with him.

…

Lance didn't understand. They were incompatible. Lance will make someone else very happy one day. Just not Keith. Still a weight has been lifted from his chest. He can finally enjoy the convention without the dread of spending so much time with Lance.

He's even gained someone new to wander around with. Shiro, they've been introduced in the past, but they don't really know each other. Everyone had agreed it was best to split Keith and Lance up for the convention, but Shiro was the only one to volunteer to keep him company. He's actually a pretty fun guy.

…

Shiro and him are meeting up again. They're working on his bike. Somehow during the convention, their mutual love of going fast had come up. Shiro had some ideas for helping eek out a little more speed from Keith's ride, and that had been the start of their regular meet ups.

It's nice, being around Shiro. He's not tiring, and he never seems upset, when Keith cancels on him. Even with stupid excuses meant to cover that he just wants to stay home that day. Shiro never feels the need to point out how long it's been since they last met up. For once, someone is okay with letting Keith set up how often they meet.

…

There are a dozen drunk texts on his phone. He'd been in the theater with Shiro, seeing the latest Star Trek, when they came in. His and Shiro's meetings were beginning to morph from just shop talk to talk about anything and everything. Including how every sci-fi movie was worth a ticket. Especially Star Trek.

Lance's day hadn't been nearly as fun. When they were still dating, he'd been making plans for this day. Lance turning the big 21. He was going to get all his friends together and take him out. Seems someone else had taken over that job. It wasn't even dark, and Lance was smashed. Texting him asking why he'd broken up with him. If only he could give him an answer that would help.

Shiro looks concerned. Keith turns off the phone and smiles reassuringly. He'll tell him about his problem when they find somewhere to eat.

…

People who look like Shiro should be forbidden from changing out of their grease stained shirts in front of others. He just missed everything Shiro said about the pizza. Wasn't talk about brains short circuiting from attractiveness supposed to be a joke?

…

He needs somewhere to stay just for a week. Until the building's manager can fix the busted pipe and his apartment can be dried out. Shiro didn't even let him get as far as asking. He's more than happy to put Keith up.

…

What is passion? The ability to wake up and do the same thing every day for the rest of your life without complaint. Could love be the same?

…

He's sad to go home. It's never been so relaxing to live in the same house as someone else. Shiro doesn't require attention. Shiro doesn't need him to stop what he's doing and talk for half an hour. He can wait for Keith to be ready.

…

Lance is messaging his Facebook. Asking about the break up again. What more can he tell him? It's been months. He's already explained twice as best as he could. Anything else he could say would sound insulting, or as if it was Lance's fault their relationship ended.

Shiro understood his justifications, but he could talk to Shiro honestly. He didn't judge Keith's analysis. His lack of feelings towards his previous boyfriend wasn't a fault on his character to Shiro. It's just how Keith was.

…

If he could share his deepest secrets, his living space, and his time. Wasn't that everything he wanted in someone? Wasn't that someone worth waking up to every day for the rest of his life?

He could lose a friend, but honesty is in his nature. He has to ask.

…

They have a date.


End file.
